Chapter 19 - Lawbearer

A sturdy man in his forties, dressed in light armor coated with dust and ash, rode into the heart of the ruined fortress. His face was set with grim determination, and his brow furrowed deeply as he scanned the devastation before him. Scorched houses loomed like blackened husks. Rubble littered the streets, and corpses lay strewn across the ground like broken dolls forgotten by a violent child.

His jaw clenched as he took it all in. Then, with a sharp tug of the reins, he turned his horse. The motion sent a ripple down the line of mounted cavalry behind him. Hundreds of soldiers, each clad in gleaming steel and bearing the royal crest on their chests, straightened their posture in perfect unison. Their eyes sharpened, awaiting his command.

"Find Queen Belmore," he ordered, his voice sharp and final. "Search every building, every cave, and every hidden corner in this region. Tear the land apart if you must, but bring her back."

He paused for a breath. His voice dropped, colder now, more dangerous. "If anyone resists, cut off a part of them. Bring back whatever remains."

.

.

.

The sun had already risen when they left the small house behind them.

Riven walked in front, pulling a rickety wooden cart behind him. Its old wheels creaked beneath the weight of the weapons piled inside: swords, spears, and even a few broken bows taken from the battlefield the night before. Dried blood still stained many of them. Mira hadn't had the time to clean it all, and each weapon stood as a quiet reminder of the chaos they had barely survived.

Behind Riven, Mira followed, her steps light but cautious. Beside her walked the woman who had introduced herself as Anna, though Riven doubted that was her real name. The air was hot. The wind stirred through the trees and the grass as if trying to erase the traces of their departure.

That house on the hill had offered them shelter. Briefly, it had been a place of peace.

But peace had its price. And when the woman had awoken to reveal that she was being hunted, the house had stopped being a sanctuary. It had turned into a trap. Every minute spent there had become a gamble against death.

They couldn't stay.

So Riven had made the call.

They left.

"Are you sure you can walk this far?" he asked without turning around. His tone was calm, but there was something underneath it—concern, carefully hidden.

"With wounds like that, it's a miracle you're even standing."

The woman who called herself Anna responded without hesitation. "These wounds are nothing."

Her voice was flat and detached, as if her body were only a shell and pain had long since lost its meaning.

"I'm not an ordinary person," she added.

Riven gave her a sideways glance. He didn't need to be told. No one ordinary could have thrown him like that, not while bleeding out and barely awake.

He narrowed his eyes. "So you really don't have any other plans? You're just going to follow us?"

Ashtoria simply nodded once, offering no further explanation. Her face remained blank, her eyes fixed ahead. For now… she had no intention of going back.

"Hey!" Mira suddenly chimed in, glaring at her brother. "If you want to help, why are you being so half-hearted?! Can't you see she's badly hurt and being chased by dangerous people?!"

Riven said nothing at first. Then he casually reached over and pinched Mira's cheek.

"Ow! What the hell, big bro!" Mira swatted his hand away, cheeks red with irritation. "Stop treating me like a little kid!"

"You are a kid," Riven replied with a sigh, not even bothering to hide his amusement.

Ashtoria observed them in silence.

They were strange, these siblings. The boy was cold and blunt, but he didn't hide his concern. The girl was fierce and unafraid, her heart worn openly on her sleeve. They bickered like children, but there was something in their voices, something warm. Something... familiar.

Family.

It was a word she hadn't truly felt in years.

Her memories of family were filled with closed doors and sharp words. Locked rooms. Cold punishments. Nothing like this.

When had someone last touched her with kindness?

Mira moved toward her then. With soft fingers, she brushed Ashtoria's cheek where the pinch had left a faint mark.

"My brother's kind of petty," she said with a smile, "but he's a good person. Don't let him fool you."

Ashtoria didn't speak. She only nodded slightly. A small, instinctive motion. Deep down, she knew the truth. These two couldn't protect her from what was coming. No one could.

Even so, something in her wanted to believe.

Mira tilted her head, curiosity lighting her face.

"By the way... how did you get to be this pretty?"

Ashtoria blinked. These siblings... were truly bizarre.

Riven groaned aloud.

"Don't say things like that," he said, rubbing his temple as he looked toward Ashtoria. "She doesn't think she's pretty anyway."

Ashtoria's expression didn't change, but for the briefest moment, something flickered behind her eyes. It was small. Quiet. But it was there.

Riven's voice shifted again, turning more serious. "You said you're not ordinary."

She gave a single nod in reply.

"So tell me," he said. "Are you a Lawbearer?"

There was a pause before she answered.

She looked at him directly, her eyes steady. She saw it then, something behind his gaze. Curiosity, yes. But also... hope.

"Yes," she said. Her voice was quiet, but certain.

Of course she was.

There was no way a woman so wounded could have thrown him down so effortlessly unless she carried power far beyond what humans normally possessed.

A Lawbearer.

Also known as a Mage.

Riven had only ever heard the term in stories and lessons spoken in hushed tones. People spoke of them with reverence and fear, as if Lawbearers were divine anomalies. Those chosen by the world to wield its rawest truths.

Lawbearers didn't simply use magic.

They became part of it.

The laws of flame, of ice, of death and time—these were no longer abstractions to them. They were weapons. Shields. Extensions of the soul. A Lawbearer embodied one law of reality, and in return, the world itself lent them its strength.

But such power wasn't earned through training alone.

It was something a person had to be born with. A rare spark, passed down through noble bloodlines. Lineages that had once forged contracts with the world and never let go.

And because of that, nobles ruled.

They had the power, the teachers, the tomes. They held everything.

People like Riven? People born in the dirt? They had no chance. And if one of them ever did show promise, they were taken. Used. Sold off as tools for someone else's glory.

Even the most talented commoners were always behind. They lacked the libraries. The guidance. The recognition.

The world had chosen its rulers long before Riven was born.

But now...

A woman who had collapsed in front of his home just last night—a stranger—was walking beside him. And she was a Lawbearer.

His world tilted.

He stopped walking.

Mira and Ashtoria paused too, watching him.

Riven turned. His gaze locked with Ashtoria's.

"I want you to teach me," he said.

She didn't respond. Her expression was neutral, unreadable.

"I helped you. I didn't let you die back there," he continued, his voice firm but not demanding. "So in return... teach me how to become a Lawbearer."

---

Hi guys, author here!

I just want to make a little confession.

Actually, I'm not a native English speaker, so if you notice any mistakes, feel free to leave a comment—I'd really appreciate it!

Also, I wanted to ask your opinion:

Does the title "Lawbearer" sound cool to you, or does it feel a bit awkward? Should I consider changing it?

Let me know what you think!

Thanks for reading and supporting the story 😊